Multicast digital video lost packet recovery

ABSTRACT

An electronic communication network supports delivery of video program Internet protocol packets and includes a source device, a first recipient device, and a second recipient device. The source device transmits both first and second video program Internet protocol packets. The first recipient device is assigned as positive acknowledgment leader by the source device and the second recipient device that is assigned as negative acknowledgement leader by the source device. The first recipient device is operable to transmit to the source device a positive acknowledgment of receipt of the first video program Internet protocol packet. The second recipient device is operable to transmit to the source device a negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the first video program Internet protocol packet. The source device responds to the negative acknowledgement of non-receipt by the second recipient device by multicast resending the second video program Internet protocol packet to both the first and second recipient devices.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/086,877, filed Aug. 7, 2008, andhaving a common title with the present application, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to multimedia content; and, moreparticularly, to packetized delivery of digital video.

2. Related Art

The horizon of television and video program consumption today isreshaped by the presence of the vast and highly developed Internetbackbone, with high bit transmission rates and low transmission errorrates. Hence, most consumers of television and video programs today optfor delivery of television programs, live or on demand video programsvia the Internet. This is cost effective and reaches most remote regionsof the world. In addition, consumers may access television programs andvideo programs produced and broadcast anywhere around the world. Much ofthis video content is deliberately produced for consumers who useInternet as the medium for access of the video content with much of thevideo content produced by the consumers themselves in and around theirhomes.

Considering these changes many Internet service providers and otherInternet based service providers today deliver video content rangingfrom live television broadcasts to video content on demand from aroundthe world on a monthly rental or pay per view basis. This video contentmay include movies, music programs as well as other entertainmentrelated video programs. Many of the “content providers” incorporate datarights management to limit the use of the video content by theconsumers.

The consumers may receive the content at home in multiple localitiessuch as living room, kitchen, bedrooms and children's rooms as well asin small commercial locations such as restaurants or cafes. In theseareas where video content is delivered to multiple recipients, a sourcedevice, such as an access point, delivers the video content to theplurality of recipient devices either wirelessly or via wires. Therecipient devices may receive either video program Internet protocolpackets from the access points or de-packetized video program Internetprotocol packet contents. This “video stream” may include encoded videoframes, e.g., MPEG video frames that include independent and predictivevideo frames, e.g., backward predictive and/or forward predictive videoframes.

Upon receiving these video program Internet protocol packets orindependent, reference video frames, the recipient devices respondeither by acknowledgement of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt. In case of negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, theaccess point resends the video program Internet protocol packets orindependent, reference video frames. Each of the recipient devicesindependently responds by acknowledgement of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt and the access point responds in turn byresending video program Internet protocol packets or independent,reference video frames upon negative acknowledgment of non-receipt. Suchoperations may cause unacceptable network congestions. These and otherlimitations and deficiencies associated with the related art may be morefully appreciated by those skilled in the art after comparing suchrelated art with various aspects of the present invention as set forthherein with reference to the figures.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operationthat are further described in the following Brief Description of theDrawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims.Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of the invention madewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system of wired orwireless electronic networks, each containing an access point thatreceives video program IP packets from a video program IP packet sourcevia the Internet and a plurality of communicatively coupled recipientdevices, one of which in each network being assigned as a leader foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames, allowing multicast resending of the IPpackets or video frames to all of the recipient devices upon negativeacknowledgement according to one or more embodiments of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system of wired orwireless electronic networks, each containing an access point thatreceives video program IP packets from a video program IP packet sourcevia the Internet and a plurality of communicatively coupled recipientdevices, one of which in each network being assigned as a primary leaderfor acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receiptand a second recipient device as a secondary leader for negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt alone of IP packets or video frames,allowing multicast resending of the IP packets or video frames to all ofthe recipient devices upon negative acknowledgement from either of theleaders according to one or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system of wired orwireless electronic networks, each containing an access point thatreceives video program IP packets from a video program IP packet sourcevia the Internet, and a plurality of communicatively coupled recipientdevices, one of which in each network being assigned as a leader foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames allowing resending of the IP packets or videoframes to the leader and the leader delivering them to the neighboringrecipient devices according to one or more embodiments of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system of wired orwireless electronic networks (only one such network is illustratedhere), each containing an access point that receives video program IPpackets from a video program IP packet source via the Internet, and aplurality of communicatively coupled recipient devices, all of which areassigned as a leaders for acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of IP packets or video frames, allowingresending of the IP packets or video frames to a first recipient devicethat responds first and the first recipient device delivering them tothe neighboring recipient devices according to one or more embodimentsof the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 1, considering delivery of video frames according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 1, considering delivery of video program IP packets according toone or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 2, considering delivery of video frames according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 2, considering delivery of video program IP packets according toone or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 3, considering delivery of video frames according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 3, considering delivery of video program IP packets according toone or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 4, considering delivery of video frames according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality of the access pointof FIG. 4, considering delivery of video program IP packets according toone or more embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system 105 of wiredor wireless electronic networks 143, 145, each containing an accesspoint 161 or 163 that receives video program IP packets from a videoprogram IP packet source 121 via the Internet 131, and a plurality ofcommunicatively coupled recipient devices 181, 183 and 185 or 191, 193or 195, one of which in each network 143 and 145 being assigned as aleader for acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt of IP packets (183 or 193 in the illustration) or videoframes, allowing multicast resending of the IP packets or video framesto all of the recipient devices 181, 183 and 185 or 191, 193 or 195 uponnegative acknowledgement according to one or more embodiments of thepresent invention. In specific, the current illustration shows wired orwireless local area networks 143 and 145, e.g., Ethernets, IEEE 802.11xnetworks, etc., such as ones that exist at homes or restaurants wheremany a user accesses video programs sourced by the video programInternet protocol packets source 121.

The access point 161, for example, assigns one of the communicativelycoupled recipient devices 181, 183 or 185 as leader 183 foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames, the leader having a communication path tothe access point 161 that has highest transmission error rate. Theleader 183 alone responds by either acknowledgment of receipt ornegative acknowledgment of non-receipt of IP packets or video frames,and the access point 161 responds by multicast resending of either IPpackets or video frames to all of the recipient devices 181, 183, and185. The access point 161 presumes that the noise in the communicationpath faced by the leader 183 applies equally to all of the recipientdevices 181, 183 or 185 in the network 143 and if the leader 183 did notget an IP packet or video frame (error free or at all), it is likelythat all of the recipient devices 181, 183 and 185 have not received theIP packet or video frame.

When any of the recipient devices 181 or 185, other than the leader 183,did not get an IP packet or video frame and only the leader gets thecorresponding IP packet or video frame, they do not respond at all (forexample, by negative acknowledgment of non-receipt). Similarly, therecipient devices 181 or 185, other than the leader 183, do not respondby acknowledgment of receipt, when they get the IP packet or video frameeither. Thus, only the leader 183, having highest transmission errorrate, responds by acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgmentof non-receipt of IP packets or video frames and rest of the recipientdevices 181 or 185 do not respond regardless of whether they receive IPpackets or video frames. The access point 161 always responds to anegative acknowledgment of non-receipt of IP packets or video frames bymulticast resending the corresponding IP packet or video frame to all ofthe recipient devices 181, 183, and 185, thus minimizing bandwidthrequirements of the local area network 143 as well as that of Internet131.

Similar considerations apply for the local area wired or wirelessnetwork 145. In summary, the access points 161 or 163 receiveacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames in their corresponding networks only by aleader recipient device 183 or 193, and not from any other constituentrecipient devices 181, 185 or 191, 195. The multicast resending by theaccess points 161 or 163, upon negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames, involve sending either the IP packet orvideo frame to all of the recipient devices simultaneously. Therecipient devices 181, 185 or 191, 195 listen to the negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt by the leader 183 or 193 and automaticallyprepare to receive the corresponding IP packet or video frame, if theydidn't receive them properly already, and present them to the users.Both of the networks 143 and 145 incorporate DRM (Digital RightsManagement) overlaying the communication, such that the recipientdevices 181, 183, 185 or 191, 193, 195 do not allow users to violaterights of the owners of the video content.

The networks 143 and 145 may be wired or wireless networks, may be localarea networks of small size containing less than ten recipient devicesor slightly larger in size and may work at the levels of Internetprotocol packets or independent, reference and re-referencing frames(that is, transmitting temporally and spatially compressed videoframes). In case of video frames being transmitted, it is critical thatall recipient devices receive independent and referencing frames.

The illustration shows additional components or equipments associatedwith the video program Internet protocol packets source 121, such asdish antenna 109, any other kind of antenna 111 or fiber optic cableconnections 113. Thus, the video program Internet protocol packetssource 121 may source a live television programs or video programsstored in its server including movies and music videos.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system 205 of wiredor wireless electronic networks 243 or 345, each containing an accesspoint 261 or 263 that receives video program IP packets from a videoprogram IP packet source 221 via the Internet 231, and a plurality ofcommunicatively coupled recipient devices 281, 283, 285 or 291, 293 or295, one of which in each network 243 and 245 being assigned as aprimary leader 283 or 293 for acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt and a second recipient device as asecondary leader 285 or 295 for negative acknowledgment of non-receiptalone of IP packets or video frames, allowing multicast resending of theIP packets or video frames to all of the recipient devices upon negativeacknowledgement from either of the leaders 283, 285 or 293, 295according to one or more embodiments of the present invention.

The access point 261, for example, assigns a primary leader 283 foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt anda second recipient device as a secondary leader 285 for negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt alone of IP packets or video frames. Thatis, in this embodiment, the access point 261 assigns two leaders 283 and285, both having highest transmission error rates compared to otherrecipient devices. When the access point 261 transmits an IP packet or avideo frame the primary leader 283 may respond by negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt, upon not receiving an IP packet or videoframe. The access point 261 in turn responds by multicast resending theIP packet or video frame, similar to the embodiment described inreference to the FIG. 1.

On the contrary, when the access point 261 transmits an IP packet or avideo frame the primary leader 283 may respond by acknowledgment ofreceipt upon receiving the IP packet and video frame. If, then thesecondary leader 285, possibly located in a different region of thenetwork 243 where communication path noise considerations are different,responds by negative acknowledgment of non-receipt of the IP packet orvideo frame upon not receiving the IP packet or video frame, the accesspoint 261 responds by multicast resending the IP packet or video frameto all of the recipient devices 281, 283 or 285. Both of the networks243 and 245 incorporate DRM (Digital Rights Management) overlaying thecommunication, such that the recipient devices 281, 283, 285 or 291,293, 295 do not allow users to violate rights of the owners of the videocontent.

In both of the above mentioned scenarios, the rest of the recipientdevices (such as the 181) do not respond either with acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, regardless of whetherthey receive the IP packet or video frame or not. Similar considerationsapply to the network 245. In addition, the networks 243 or 245 may workat the level of IP packets or compressed video frames. The illustration205 also shows additional components or equipments associated with thevideo program Internet protocol packets source 221, such as dish antenna209, any other kind of antenna 211 or fiber optic cable connections 213.The video program Internet protocol packets source 221 may source a livetelevision programs or video programs stored in its server includingmovies and music videos.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system 305 of wiredor wireless electronic networks, each containing an access point 361 or363 that receives video program IP packets from a video program IPpacket source 321 via the Internet 331, and a plurality ofcommunicatively coupled recipient devices 381, 383, 384 or 391, 393, 395one of which in each network being assigned as a leader 383 or 393 foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames, allowing resending of the IP packets orvideo frames to the leader 383 or 393 and the leader 383 or 393delivering them to the neighboring recipient devices (such as 381, 385or 391, 395) according to one or more embodiments of the presentinvention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the leader 383 in thenetwork 343 sends acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving an IP packetor video frame. The rest of the recipient devices such as 381 and 385may or may not receive the corresponding IP packet or video frame, butdo not respond with acknowledgment of receipt. In addition, the leader383 in the network 343 sends negative acknowledgment of non-receipt uponnot receiving an IP packet or video frame. The rest of the recipientdevices 381 and 383 again do not respond either by acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, regardless of whetherthey receive the corresponding IP packet or video frame or not.

The access point 361 responds to the negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt upon not receiving an IP packet or video frame by the leader383 by sending the corresponding IP packet or video frame to the leader383 alone. Unlike the previous two embodiments (of FIGS. 1 and 2), theaccess point 361 does not multicast send the IP packet or video frame toall of the recipient devices 381, 383 and 385. Then, the leader 383,upon receiving the resent IP packet or video frame, sends them to theneighboring devices such as 381 and 385, regardless of whether they havepreviously received the corresponding IP packet or video frame. Thus,again, the access point 361 assumes the communication path noiseconsideration that applies to the leader 383 applies to all of therecipient devices 381 and 385 as well. However, with the embodiment ofFIG. 3, the acknowledgement leader serves as a re-transmitter of IPpackets/video frames.

Similar considerations apply to the network 345 containing the accesspoint 363 and recipient devices such as 391, 393 and 395 and the leader393 alone responding by acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of IP packets or video frames and thenreceiving an IP packet or video frame upon negative acknowledgment ornon-receipt and sending the corresponding IP packet or video frame tothe neighboring recipient devices 391 and 395. Both of the networks 343and 345 incorporate DRM (Digital Rights Management) overlaying thecommunication, such that the recipient devices 381, 383, 385 or 391,393, 395 do not allow users to violate rights of the owners of the videocontent. The illustration 305 also shows additional components orequipments associated with the video program Internet protocol packetssource 321, such as dish antenna 309, any other kind of antenna 311 orfiber optic cable connections 313 that assist in receiving televisionand video programs from elsewhere around the world.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a system 405 of wiredor wireless electronic networks 443 (only one such network isillustrated here), each containing an access point 461 that receivesvideo program IP packets from a video program IP packet source 421 viathe Internet 431, and a plurality of communicatively coupled recipientdevices 481, 483 and 485, all of which are assigned as a leaders 481,483 and 485 for acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt of IP packets or video frames, allowing resending of the IPpackets or video frames to a first recipient device 481, 483 or 485 thatresponds first and the first recipient device 481, 483 or 485 deliveringthem to the neighboring recipient devices 481, 483 or 485 according toone or more embodiments of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the wireless access point 461 assigns all of therecipient devices 481, 483 or 485 as leaders 481, 483 or 485 foracknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofIP packets or video frames. Thus, any of the recipient devices 481, 483,or 485 may respond by either acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving ofIP packets or video frames, or negative acknowledgment of non-receiptupon not receiving IP packets or video frames.

For example, when one of the recipient devices (say 483) responds firstby acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving an IP packet or video frame,all other recipient devices (481 and 485 in this case) do not respondeither by acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt, regardless of whether they receive the corresponding IPpacket or video frame or not. In addition, if any of the recipientdevices (say 481) responds first by negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt upon not receiving an IP packet or video frame, all otherrecipient devices (483 and 485 in this case) do not respond either byacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt,regardless of whether they receive the corresponding IP packet or videoframe or not. Then, the access point 461 responds by resending thecorresponding IP packet or video frame to the recipient device 481 whichsent negative acknowledgment of non-receipt. The recipient device 481upon receiving the IP packet or video frame, sends them to theneighboring recipient devices (483 and 485 in this case), regardless ofwhether they received the corresponding IP packet or video frame or not.

The network 443 incorporates DRM (Digital Rights Management) overlayingthe communication, such that the recipient devices 481, 483 and 485 donot allow users to violate rights of the owners of the video content.The illustration 405 also shows additional components or equipmentsassociated with the video program Internet protocol packets source 421,such as dish antenna 409, any other kind of antenna 411 or fiber opticcable connections 413 that assist in receiving television and videoprograms from elsewhere around the world.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 505 of the accesspoint of FIG. 1, considering delivery of video frames according to oneor more embodiments of the present invention. The functionality beginsat a block 507, when the access point identifies one of the pluralitiesof communicatively coupled recipient devices as a leader to send backacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt ofeach of the video frames delivered. The access point selects therecipient device as leader based upon having highest communication pathtransmission error rate, so that when the leader (recipient device) doesnot get a video frame, it is likely that most of other recipient deviceshave not received the video frame either.

At a next block 509, the access point receives video program InternetProtocol (IP) packets from a video program Internet protocol packetssource. Then, at a next block 511, the access point de-packetizes thevideo program Internet Protocol (IP) packets and generates independentand reference video frames. At a next block 513, the access pointtransmits wirelessly or via wires, an independent or a reference frameto all of the recipient devices.

At a next block 515, the access point receives acknowledgment of receiptfrom the leader upon receiving the independent or reference video frame,rest of the recipient devices do not send back acknowledgment of receiptor negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, upon receiving or notreceiving the independent or reference video frame. On the contrary, ifthe leader does not receive the independent or reference video frame,the access point receives negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, andagain, rest of the recipient devices do not send back acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, upon receiving or notreceiving the independent or reference video frame. Thus, only leaderparticipates in sending acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of the independent or reference videoframe, regardless of whether the rest of the recipient devices receivedit or not.

At a final block 517, the access point responds to the negativeacknowledgement of non-receipt of the independent or reference videoframe by the leader by multicast resending the independent or referencevideo frame.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 605 of the accesspoint of FIG. 1, considering delivery of video program IP packetsaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Thefunctionality begins at a block 607, when the access point identifiesone of the pluralities of communicatively coupled recipient devices as aleader, to send back acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of video program Internet protocolpackets, based upon highest communication path transmission error rate.

At a next block 609, the access point receives video program Internetprotocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packets source.Then, the access point, at a next block 611, transmits wirelessly or viawires, a video program Internet protocol packet to all of the recipientdevices. At a next block 613, the access point receives acknowledgmentof receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt from the leaderalone upon receiving the video program Internet protocol packet, but notfrom rest of the recipient devices. The rest of the recipient devices donot send acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt regardless of whether they receive the video programInternet protocol packet or not.

At a final block 615, the access point multicast transmits the videoprogram Internet protocol packet in response to receiving the negativeacknowledgement of non-receipt from the leader by multicast resendingthe video program Internet protocol packet to all of the recipientdevices.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 705 of the accesspoint of FIG. 2, considering delivery of video frames according to oneor more embodiments of the present invention. The functionality beginsat a block 707, when the access point assigns a secondary leader, amongpluralities of communicatively coupled recipient devices, of negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving a video frame. Thecommunication path transmission error rate is one of the highest amongsecondary leader recipient device communication path. Then, at a block709, the access point assigns another recipient device among pluralitiesof communicatively coupled recipient devices as a primary leader ofacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt uponreceiving or not receiving video frames, respectively. The access pointselects the primary leader based upon having highest communication pathtransmission error rate.

At a next block 711, the access point receives video program Internetprotocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packet source.At a next block 713, the access point de-packetizes the video programInternet protocol packets and generates independent and reference videoframes. Then, at a next block 715, the access point transmits,wirelessly or via wires, an independent and reference video frame to allof the communicatively coupled recipient devices.

At a next block 717, the access point receives acknowledgment of receiptor negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon receiving or notreceiving the independent or reference video frame, from the primaryleader. The rest of the recipient devices do not send backacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receiptregardless of whether they receive the independent or reference videoframe or not. The secondary leader may send back negative acknowledgmentof non-receipt upon not receiving the independent or reference videoframe, but not acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving the independentor reference video frame.

At a final block 719, the access point responds to the negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of the independent or reference videoframe, either by the primary leader or secondary leader, by multicastresending the independent or reference video frame to all of therecipient devices.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 805 of the accesspoint of FIG. 2, considering delivery of video program IP packetsaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Thefunctionality begins at a block 807, when the access point assigns asecondary leader, of negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon notreceiving video program Internet protocol packets, among the pluralitiesof communicatively coupled recipient devices based upon communicationpath transmission error rate. The secondary leader does not send anyacknowledgment of receipt upon receiving video program Internet protocolpackets. At a next block 809, the access point assigns another ofplurality of communicatively coupled recipient devices as a primaryleader, of acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt upon receiving or not receiving video program Internetprotocol packets respectively, based upon communication pathtransmission error rate.

Then, at a next block 811, the access point receives video programInternet protocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packetssource. At a next block 813, the access point transmits, wirelessly orvia wires, a first video program Internet protocol packet to all of therecipient devices. At a next block 815, the access point receivesnegative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the videoprogram Internet protocol packet from the secondary leader. In addition,the access point may receive acknowledgment of receipt or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt upon receiving or not receiving the videoprogram Internet protocol packet respectively, from the primary leader.

At a final block 817, the access point multicast retransmits the videoprogram Internet protocol packet if it receives any negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt of the video program Internet protocolpacket, either by the primary leader or secondary leader, to all of therecipient devices.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 905 of the accesspoint of FIG. 3, considering delivery of video frames according to oneor more embodiments of the present invention. The functionality beginsat a block 907, when the access point assigns one of the pluralities ofcommunicatively coupled recipient devices having highest communicationpath transmission error rate as a leader for sending acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgement of non-receipt.

At a next block 909, the access point receives video program Internetprotocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packet source.Then, the access point, at a next block 911, de-packetizes and generatesindependent and reference video frames. At a next block 913, the accesspoint transmits wirelessly or via wires an independent or a referencevideo frame to all of the communicatively coupled recipient devices.

At a next block 915, the access point receives acknowledgment of receiptor negative acknowledgment of non-receipt, upon receiving or notreceiving the independent or reference video frame respectively, fromthe leader alone. The rest of the devices do not respond either byacknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt,regardless of whether they receive the independent or reference videoframe. At a final block 917, the access point responds to the negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt from the leader by resending theindependent or reference video frame to the leader alone. The leaderthen sends the resent independent or reference video frames tocommunicatively coupled neighboring recipient devices.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 1005 of the accesspoint of FIG. 3, considering delivery of video program IP packetsaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention. Thefunctionality begins at a block 1007, when the access point assigns oneof the pluralities of communicatively coupled recipient devices, havinghighest communication path transmission error rate, as a leader forsending back acknowledgment of receipt or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt, upon receiving or not receiving a video program Internetprotocol packet, respectively.

Then, at a next block 1009, the access point receives video programInternet protocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packetssource. Then, at a next block 1011, the access point transmitswirelessly or via wires a video program Internet protocol packet to allof the communicatively coupled recipient devices.

At a next block 1013, the access point receives acknowledgment ofreceipt upon receiving the video program Internet protocol packet ornegative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the videoprogram Internet protocol packet respectively, from the leader. The restof the communicatively coupled recipient devices does not respond eitherby acknowledgment or receipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt,regardless of whether they receive the video program Internet protocolpacket or not.

The access point, at a final block 1015, responds to the negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt (of not receiving the video programInternet protocol packet) from the leader by resending the video programInternet protocol packet to the leader. Then, the leader sends theresent video program Internet protocol packet to all of the neighboringrecipient devices, regardless of whether they received the video programInternet protocol packet or not.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 1105 of the accesspoint of FIG. 4, considering delivery of video frames according to oneor more embodiments of the present invention. The functionality beginsat a block 1107, when the access point assigns (or assumes) each of thepluralities of communicatively coupled recipient devices as a leader forsending back acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving a video frame ornegative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the videoframe. When one of the recipient devices responds first by anacknowledgment of receipt upon receiving a video frame or negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the video frame, restof the recipient devices do not respond.

At a next block 1109, the access point receives video program Internetprotocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packets source.At a next block 1111, the access point de-packetizes and generatesindependent or reference video frames. At a next block 1113, the accesspoint transmits, wirelessly or via wires, an independent or a referencevideo frame to all of the recipient devices.

At a next block 1115, the access point receives an acknowledgment ofreceipt upon receiving the independent or reference video frame ornegative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving theindependent or reference video frame from a first recipient device, restof the recipient devices do not respond. At a final block 1117, theaccess point responds to receiving negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt upon not receiving the independent or reference video framefrom the first recipient device by resending the independent orreference video frame to the first recipient device alone. Then, thefirst recipient device sends the resent independent or reference videoframe to all of the neighboring recipient devices.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating functionality 1205 of the accesspoint of FIG. 4, considering delivery of video program IP packets. Thefunctionality begins at a block 1207, when the access point assigns (orassumes) all of the communicatively coupled recipient devices as leadersfor sending back acknowledgment of receipt upon receiving a videoprogram Internet protocol packet or negative acknowledgment ofnon-receipt upon not receiving the video program Internet protocolpacket. Once a first recipient device responds either by acknowledgmentor negative acknowledgment, the rest of the recipient devices do notsend back any acknowledgment or negative acknowledgment.

At a next block 1209, the access point receives video program Internetprotocol packets from a video program Internet protocol packets source.Then, the access point, at a next block 1211, transmits, wirelessly orvia wires, a video program Internet protocol packet to all of thecommunicatively coupled recipient devices.

At a next block 1213, the access point receives acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon receiving or notreceiving the video program Internet protocol packet, respectively, froma first recipient device. The rest of the recipient devices do notrespond once the first recipient device sends back acknowledgment ofreceipt or negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon receiving or notreceiving the video program Internet protocol packet, respectively. At afinal block 1215, the access point responds to the negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the video programInternet protocol packet from the first recipient device by resendingthe video program Internet protocol packet to the first recipient devicealone. Then, the first recipient device sends the resent video programInternet protocol packet to all of the neighboring recipient devices.

The terms “circuit” and “circuitry” as used herein may refer to anindependent circuit or to a portion of a multifunctional circuit thatperforms multiple underlying functions. For example, depending on theembodiment, processing circuitry may be implemented as a single chipprocessor or as a plurality of processing chips. Likewise, a firstcircuit and a second circuit may be combined in one embodiment into asingle circuit or, in another embodiment, operate independently perhapsin separate chips. The term “chip,” as used herein, refers to anintegrated circuit. Circuits and circuitry may comprise general orspecific purpose hardware, or may comprise such hardware and associatedsoftware such as firmware or object code.

As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the terms “operablycoupled” and “communicatively coupled,” as may be used herein, includedirect coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element,circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, the interveningcomponent, element, circuit, or module does not modify the informationof a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/orpower level. As one of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate,inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another elementby inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elementsin the same manner as “operably coupled” and “communicatively coupled.”

The present invention has also been described above with the aid ofmethod steps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

The present invention has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks/modules illustrating the performance ofcertain significant functions. The boundaries of these functionalbuilding blocks/modules have been arbitrarily defined for convenience ofdescription. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as thecertain significant functions are appropriately performed. For example,functional modules illustrated may be software and/or hardware modulesthat perform the indicated functionality but are not limited to hardwareonly or software only. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have beenarbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significantfunctionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries andsequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certainsignificant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functionalbuilding blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus withinthe scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functionalbuilding blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and componentsherein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components,application specific integrated circuits, processors executingappropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity andunderstanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the presentinvention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to oneof average skill in the art that various changes and modifications maybe practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A method for operating a wireless access point to transmit a videostream having a plurality of independent frames and a plurality ofreference frames to a plurality of wireless devices, the methodcomprising: the wireless access point selecting a reception confirmationleader from the plurality of wireless devices; the wireless access pointtransmitting an independent frame of the plurality of independent framesto the plurality of wireless devices using reception confirmation; thewireless access point receiving a reception confirmation message onlyfrom the reception confirmation leader of the plurality of wirelessdevices regarding the independent frame; when the reception confirmationmessage received from the reception confirmation leader is negative, thewireless access point retransmitting the independent frame to theplurality of wireless devices; and the wireless access pointtransmitting a reference frame to the plurality of wireless deviceswithout reception confirmation.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: the wireless access point receiving respective receivedsignal qualities from the plurality of wireless devices; and thewireless access point selecting the reception confirmation leader ashaving a lesser received signal quality than received signal quality ofother of the plurality of wireless devices.
 3. The method of claim 1,further comprising a wireless device of the plurality of wirelessdevices requesting transmission of the independent frame from thereception confirmation leader to the wireless device.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: the wireless access point transmitting asecond independent frame of the plurality of independent frames to theplurality of wireless devices using reception confirmation; the wirelessaccess point failing to receive a reception confirmation message fromthe confirmation leader of the plurality of wireless devices regardingthe second independent frame within a predetermined time period; and thewireless access point receiving a reception confirmation message from abackup confirmation leader of the plurality of wireless devicesregarding the second independent frame.
 5. A method for operating awireless access point to transmit a video stream having a plurality ofindependent frames and a plurality of reference frames to a plurality ofwireless devices, the method comprising: the wireless access pointselecting a positive reception confirmation leader from the plurality ofwireless devices; the wireless access point selecting a negativereception confirmation leader from the plurality of wireless devices;the wireless access point transmitting an independent frame of theplurality of independent frames to the plurality of wireless devicesusing reception confirmation; the wireless access point receiving apositive reception confirmation message only from the positive receptionconfirmation leader of the plurality of wireless devices regarding theindependent frame; the wireless access point receiving a negativereception confirmation message only from the negative receptionconfirmation leader of the plurality of wireless devices regarding theindependent frame; and the wireless access point transmitting areference frame to the plurality of wireless devices without receptionconfirmation. 6 The method of claim 5, further comprising: the wirelessaccess point receiving a positive reception confirmation message onlyfrom the positive reception confirmation leader of the plurality ofwireless devices regarding an Internet protocol video program packetthat contains the independent frame; the wireless access point receivinga negative reception confirmation message only from the negativereception confirmation leader of the plurality of wireless devicesregarding an Internet protocol video program packet that contains theindependent frame; and the wireless access point transmitting anInternet protocol video program packet that contains a reference frameto the plurality of wireless devices without reception confirmation. 7.The method of claim 5, further comprising: the wireless access pointreceiving respective received signal qualities from the plurality ofwireless devices; the wireless access point selecting the positivereception confirmation leader based upon a respective received signalquality; and the wireless access point selecting the negative receptionconfirmation leader based upon a respective received signal quality. 8.The method of claim 5, further comprising the wireless access pointreceiving a retransmission request from one of the positive receptionconfirmation leader and the negative reception confirmation leader tothe wireless device regarding the independent frame of the plurality ofindependent frames.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: thewireless access point retransmitting the independent frame of theplurality of independent frames to the plurality of wireless devicesusing reception confirmation in response to receipt of theretransmission request.
 10. The method of claim 5, further comprisingthe wireless access point employing data rights management overlaying.11. The method of claim 5, further comprising: the wireless access pointreceiving a retransmission request from one of the positive receptionconfirmation leader and the negative reception confirmation regarding anInternet protocol video program packet that contains the referenceframe; and; and the wireless access point retransmitting the Internetprotocol video program packet that contains that reference frame. 12.The method of claim 5, further comprising: the wireless access pointreceiving a positive reception confirmation message from a firstresponding wireless device of the plurality of wireless devicesregarding the independent frame; and the wireless access point selectingthe first responding wireless device as the positive receptionconfirmation leader.
 13. The method of claim 5, further comprising: thewireless access point receiving a negative reception confirmationmessage from a first responding wireless device of the plurality ofwireless devices regarding the independent frame; and the wirelessaccess point selecting the first responding wireless device as thenegative reception confirmation leader.
 14. An electronic communicationnetwork that supports delivery of video program Internet protocolpackets, the electronic communication network comprising: a sourcedevice that transmits both first and second video program Internetprotocol packets; a first recipient device that is assigned as positiveacknowledgment leader by the source device; and a second recipientdevice that is assigned as negative acknowledgement leader by the sourcedevice; wherein the first recipient device is operable to transmit tothe source device a positive acknowledgment of receipt of the firstvideo program Internet protocol packet; wherein the second recipientdevice is operable to transmit to the source device a negativeacknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the first video programInternet protocol packet; and wherein the source device responds to thenegative acknowledgement of non-receipt by the second recipient deviceby multicast resending the second video program Internet protocol packetto both the first and second recipient devices.
 15. The electroniccommunication network of claim 14 wherein: the first recipient devicesends back a negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving athird video frame contained in the third video program Internet protocolpacket; and the source device responds to the negative acknowledgementof non-receipt regarding the third video frame contained in the thirdvideo program Internet protocol packet by multicast resending the thirdvideo program Internet protocol packet to both the first and secondrecipient devices.
 16. The electronic communication network of claim 15,wherein the first video frame is an independent frame.
 17. Theelectronic communication network of claim 15, wherein the first videoframe is a reference frame.
 18. The electronic communication network ofclaim 14, wherein the first recipient device and the source device arecommunicatively coupled with a highest communication error rate in theelectronic communication network.
 19. The electronic communicationnetwork of claim 14, wherein the electronic communication networkemploys data rights management overlaying.
 20. An electroniccommunication network that supports delivery of video program Internetprotocol packets, the electronic communication network comprising: asource device that transmits the video program Internet protocolpackets; a first recipient device that receives at least some of thevideo program Internet protocol packets; and a second recipient devicethat receives at least some of the video program Internet protocolpackets; wherein the source device assigns the first recipient device asa leader to send back acknowledgment of receipt of the video programInternet protocol packets; wherein the source device transmits a firstvideo program Internet protocol packet to both the first and secondrecipient devices; wherein the source device responds to the lack ofreceipt of acknowledgement from the first recipient device regarding thefirst video program Internet protocol packet by resending the firstvideo program Internet protocol packet to both the first and secondrecipient devices; and wherein the source device transmits a secondvideo program Internet protocol packet to both the first and secondrecipient devices without receipt confirmation.
 21. The electroniccommunication network of claim 20, wherein the first video frame is anindependent frame.
 22. The electronic communication network of claim 21,wherein the first video frame is a reference frame.